What do you want for your kids? A college education or a great career?

If I had kids, I'd want whatever *they* want. My mom wanted me to go to college, but I knew it wasn't for me. Once she got around the fact that I definitely wasn't going, she stopped pushing me to do it.

My children should have both. They need an education and a great career.

I want my children to have a job that they will love going to, one that will make them look forward to getting up in the morning to go to. So whatever their hearts desire is, I want them to have it, if it means going to college or not. I went to college and I do want my children to have an education, but I also want them to be happy as well as successful in their lives.

I want my son to be happy. I have a college education, in fact I have a Master's Degree. You hear the saying that no one can take your education from you..well that is wrong. Technology made my education old, it changed faster then a single, working Mom could keep up. I still had a job, but a lot of good it did when the jobs were outsourced to India. Oh hes, 2 Indians now do my old job, I am unemployed, hopefully that will end soon, but I am starting in a new field at less then 1/2 of my previous salary, A degree means very little these days. I was pushing my son toward college, until I started seeing the jobs cut of educated people when corporate America decided it was good for the company to screw the employees that made the company what it is today. They outsourced to cheaper companies. Now these employees work at places like K-Mart and the Gap, no one want to hire 50 year old people. I then told my son to be a carpenter, a plumber or an electrician. Those jobs can't be off-shored to another country. But he went his own way, he joined the Navy - I couldn't be prouder of him. He now has some college credit, I hope he can get out and get the job he wants, that is all I want for him. Be happy in his work.

You can have both right? Here in the Philippines, most of us goes to college BEFORE pursuing a career. I heard that in some countries, people skip college and get jobs. Here in my country, we enjoy both. =) Thanks!

I hate this fact but there are double standards for boys and for girls. My son could not go to college and work offshore and make a great living while my daughter will have to have a college degree to make a decent living. I guess no matter what my kids do I just want them to be happy and enjoy the time they have being kids because being an adult is no fun. lol

i dont see why their has to be a choice of either or. i would want my kids to both have a college education and a great career. a good college education doesnt necessarily mean a great career, but it couldnt hurt.

Actually this is a very tricky question..........according to me "college education" and a "great career" are not 2 different entities, they go hand in hand. A good college education forms the template upon which a great career can be built. Education is very important not only for having a great career but also for personal fullfillment.

This is a really interesting question! I would like to hear how my parents would answer this because I've always been pushed to get a degree ever since I was young. My parents think that getting a degree guarantees a successful career (and money), which I believe is not always the case. There are some people out there who are not even using the degrees they attained from college. My bf knows someone who has a bachelor's degree working as a waitress. On the other hand, a college degree can help broaden one's options in the career field. It also increases your chances in attaining higher positions at work. To get commissioned in the military as an officer, you must have at least a BA/BS degree. And some employees award you money for having a degree. My last job awarded a $1000 sign up bonus for the people who had their BA/BS degrees in psychology. Because I was taught that getting a degree was the ultimate achievement that would make my parents proud, I ended up going to college just to get a degree - any degree! I didn't even know what I really wanted to pursue as a career. And even now, I'm still questioning whether the major I'm pursuing is something I'm truly interested in or an excuse to just get a degree to make my parents proud. When I have children, I prefer that they have a great career over a college education. But that doesn't mean a college education is not important. There are many "great" careers out there that still require college education. The important thing is they are pursuing something that they want to pursue. I would want my children to be happy with their career.

I believed that college education is the best way to have a great career. I am working and studying to achieve my college degree. My biggest regret in my life is not finishing my studies. I attended colleges back in the Philippines and I just returned to school last year. I realized its importance especially that studying here is very expensive. I have cousins(they're siblings), the guy have a college degree and a great career while the girl only have a great career because she didn't chose her education. She chose to work at 17 and now at 30, she don't have any plans of returning to school. Having a college education is having a great career! What more can you asked for! Besides education is the only wealth and knowledge that cannot be taken by anyone else.

Well Nowadays People Always go For For A Great Career For TheirKids,Even i Also Prefer My Kids For a Great Career. But Without College Study it,s Half The information for Life. So Both are Equal For The Kids.

well i would want a great career because that is what all parents want after all.

I have kids (9 and 3 years old) and I would want them to have a college education. Both my wife and I have degrees. I cannot stress enough the importance of education. That's what I tell them, especially my 9 year old. And she seems to undertand it as she plans to be a nurse one day. But it's not just studying that we drill on them. As much as we can, we also try to draw out the talents in them. Right now, they both like to draw and paint. And so, we buy lots and lots of art materials. Never mind the mess, as long as they're happy and content. We are too.

People in Malaysia can earn a lot of money no matter what is their education background.Most of them who did not study until university can live a wealthy life.

we've always put a premium on a college education. i guess, all filipinos have. my eldest is still 10 years old but we're already saving up fir his college fees. same with the younger siblings. it will be a course of their choosing with , maybe just a little input from us. but they're definitely going to college.

I would not decide it for them, its their choice and I would support them in all that they do

Can I choose both? I'd want my kid (if I had one) to go to college and have a great career after that. But I suppose if I were to choose one I'd go with career. What's the use of a college degree if he can't get his career off?

Ok i'm not sure i shud be really answering tis ques right now, cuz i'm an 18yr old and probably have a long way 2 go b4 i hafta think bout tis. But, wats important isnt wat the person is studying or wat his qualifications are. Wats important is tat he/she is enjoying wat they are doin and at d end of the day they have a great career. So i'm gonna go wit great career.

I want the best for my kids. I would prefer they have a college education so they can have a great career. But whatever makes them happy will make me happy. I think sometimes though kids don't know what they want to do so I will give them my ideas but will never force them what to do.

I'm not sure I can answer your question directly. I want my son to be happy which means having a career that he loves waking up in the morning and going to. How he gets that job is of no importance as long as he does it the right way without stepping on others to get there. I believe going to college will give him the tools he will need to get the career he wants and it will help him to network and meet people in that field who can help him BUT if he finishes high school and Steven Spielberg walks up and offers him a job, I'm not going to fault him for skipping college to take that job. (it's the career path he hopes to follow). In his case, I think it's a little of what you know and alot of WHO you know that will land him his ideal job. If I had to pick between those two choices you suggested - then I would say a great career. :)